Gravel bikes

[Joxster]

In our Sales Meeting (read 9hrs of hell on Skype) We are looking at adding an Alloy Gravel Bike to our range......

So enlighten me and what do you want for a gravel bike, price, spec, colours etc etc

I can feed it back and they won't listen but I've tried :banana:

[Clean39T]

In our Sales Meeting (read 9hrs of hell on Skype) We are looking at adding an Alloy Gravel Bike to our range......

So enlighten me and what do you want for a gravel bike, price, spec, colours etc etc

I can feed it back and they won't listen but I've tried :banana:

Steel frame and fork, cantilevers, 1" threadless, flat-crown, 31.8 DT, 28.6 TT, 68mm BSA BB. Front rack mount. Three bottle cages and bento-box braze-ons. Pump peg. Nitto R14 rack braze-ons on the seat-stays.

You won't sell many, but dang if it wouldn't be cool :banana:

[sparky33]

fender mounts, real fender mounts that aren’t add-on widgets.

lower stack/reach ratios

[Jaybee]

clearance for 27.5x2.2" or I'm not even looking.

[David Tollefson]

clearance for 27.5x2.2" or I'm not even looking.

This is what I'm seeing from my customers as well. Bigger meats. The racers seem to want "road" handling, the non-racers want more relaxed stuff -- longer front-centers and more trail.

[sg8357]

In our Sales Meeting (read 9hrs of hell on Skype) We are looking at adding an Alloy Gravel Bike to our range......

So enlighten me and what do you want for a gravel bike, price, spec, colours etc etc

I can feed it back and they won't listen but I've tried :banana:

The Jedi you seek is named 'Guitar Ted'

[macaroon]

A lower, slacker cx bike. Light and stiff with tight clearances. Big fat tyres are pointless, I'll use my MTB for that, and have more fun at the time. Hidden mudguard mounts and all internal cables for sure. Would also use for winter road work. The Trek Checkpoint is a bike that appeals to me. Also the Pinnacle Arkose. Frame only option a must. Full carbon fork. Alloy or Carbon frame, steel is too heavy and looks mismatched/messy with disc brakes, cables all over the place. The best disc brake bikes these days are all internal/integrated. An anodized frame could be lighter or more durable? That would appeal. UK based by the way.

[bigbill]

Steel, clear at least a 42, carbon fork, hydraulic disc, 1X, and mechanical drivetrain.

Like this, made in Murica. https://www.chumbausa.com/new-products/terlingua-gravel-cyclocross-allroad-bike-steel-bicycle

[fa63]

An alloy version of the Open UP, with short chainstays and road geometry, would be great (with the addition of fender mounts) :)

[martl]

In our Sales Meeting (read 9hrs of hell on Skype) We are looking at adding an Alloy Gravel Bike to our range......

So enlighten me and what do you want for a gravel bike, price, spec, colours etc etc

I can feed it back and they won't listen but I've tried :banana:

I consider myself a connaisseur of high end bicycles, i own classic Cinellis, Casatis, i've shunned Colnagos, owned Vamoots and i ride a Pego. There were times when Campagnolo Record wasn't good enough. I'm a bike snob.

If you put my back against a wall, i'd be forced to admit the 1500.- 105-equipped Alloy gravel bike is the most allround capable bike of all in my garage. If i was reduced to own just one bike for riding, that would be it.

Points to pay attention:
- the budget ones are no lightweights, mine is 9,5kg, a bit much. If you want lighter, be prepared to spend money.
- some gravel bikes have a bit of an un-racelike geometry. If you care about that, make sure to testride before buy
- as usual, a good tire makes half the riding experience
- i wouldn't buy anything in that bike class without hydraulic discs

[prototoast]

If you make something that's more "monstercross", every single customer is going to say they want something more like a fat tire road bike. If you make a fat tire road bike, everyone is going to say they want something more monstercross.

The important thing is that no customer ever wanted the tire clearance a frame offers. They all want more. They all want less.

[Luwabra]

ive been messing around with tire sizes lately. i like the 35-43mm in a 700c and more toward the 43 if space allows. Ive been riding my karate monkey quiet a bit lately set up ss and quite honestly have been loving it. running 29x2.35 mezcals. on the hard pack it doesnt' give up much speed and rolls through the soft and rutted sections much better.

personally im digging the 44/32 WI subcompact crank with an 11/32 rear.

the two bikes im riding right now are the canti Black mountain Monster cross geared and Karate monkey ss w jones bars but soon to be cowchippers.

[donevwil]

Something for tall people who aren't all leg, or weigh 400 lbs: ~62cm top tube, ~72.5° STA, head tube < 230mm and not made out of the heaviest, deadest tubing found would be very welcome.

Alas, you'd probably sell only one.

[John H.]

This!
Knock off most of what an Open does and add fender mounts.
Don't need 72.5 degree seat angle.
Stack could be 1-2cm taller for most riders.
420mm stays.
~70mm bb drop.
room for 700x42mm or 650bX2.1.
71 degree head angle/50mm rake fork.
(Actually Open geometry works great for me, but I think I am an outlier. My Open fits perfect with a setback post, 120mm stem and 5mm of spacers).


An alloy version of the Open UP, with short chainstays and road geometry, would be great (with the addition of fender mounts) :)

[Bentley]

I’m thinking a Trek Emonda ALR with room for 40’s.

I have a Trek Crockett that will take 40’s, Pretty light I ride it with 30’s everywhere. I have a pile of bikes and this is the go to right now. My sense is Aluminum today is way better than a few years back. I think it is about 85% of the performance of carbon for half the money. I think there is a big opportunity for a gravel bike that is fast and light but takes fatter tires.

[Black Dog]

clearance for 27.5x2.2" or I'm not even looking.

This sounds like a mountain bike.

[Frankwurst]

The Rawland rSogn checks all the boxes for me. I have one and it is the complete monty for me.:beer:

[jtbadge]

This sounds like a mountain bike.

If these are mountain bikes, I would actually want to own a mountain bike:

https://static.theradavist.com/uploads/2018/06/Shige-and-His-Monotone-Sklar-Monster-Cross-4.jpg?fit=1800,1200&quality=75

https://static.theradavist.com/uploads/2016/07/Kyles-Red-White-and-Blue-Stinner-Monster-Cross-13.jpg?fit=1800,1200&quality=75

[sparky33]

If you make something that's more "monstercross", every single customer is going to say they want something more like a fat tire road bike. If you make a fat tire road bike, everyone is going to say they want something more monstercross.


This is probably true.
The niche now has sub niches.

[Clean39T]

Something for tall people who aren't all leg, or weigh 400 lbs: ~62cm top tube, ~72.5° STA, head tube < 230mm and not made out of the heaviest, deadest tubing found would be very welcome.



Alas, you'd probably sell only one.Wait till you see my Rock Lobster... :D



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[binouye]

I'm actually thinking of buying an alloy gravel bike this year. I own a Salsa Colossal (fendered, the wet day commuter) and a 29er converted to monstercross use, and will try to replace them both with 1 bike. It needs fender mounts, and rack mounts would be a plus. The 700c WTBs I run on the monstercross are ~43 actual mm wide and I want room for those, maybe a little bigger (I used Schwalbe 700 x 50 semi-slicks for a while), but I want to be able to swap wheels between 700 x 43 (dirt rides) and 700 x 30 slicks (commuting) and not have the geometry too messed up with either set of wheels. Bento box mounts would be a plus, so would 3rd bottle mount. I don't care about dropper posts at all (on this bike), probably best with a 27.2 post. I'm thinking a 56cm tt frame would have 430ish chainstays, 70mm BB drop, 71 or 71.5 hta, 73.5 sta. BSA threaded BB, or go wild and use a T47!
The Ribble AL gravel frame ticks most of those boxes, but I think its ugly. The Rondo Ruut looks good, but the Al frame only comes as a complete bike. I might get one anyway, but I would take off the components right away and rebuild it properly -- with Campy (mostly so I don't have to relearn shifting, as my other bikes are Campy 11). Because I like my current 700 x 43 setup, I have been ruling out the gravel frames that only clear up to 35ish. I've got the Colossal for that already.

[Joxster]

Thanks for the replies, we've already got a carbon gravel/adventure/CX bike in the range

https://www.tifosicycles.co.uk/shop/bikes/cavazzo2019/

[Jaybee]

This sounds like a mountain bike.

My ideal here is drop bar road-ish geo with some nice fat meats on it. Any number of companies do this in carbon or steel already. Harder to find in alloy. Used to rip up local green and blue XCish singletrack with any amount of paved/dirt road connectors between trail centers. Sometimes not enough bike, sometimes too much, almost always fun.


My MTB is 150mm travel front and rear.

[simonov]

If these are mountain bikes, I would actually want to own a mountain bike:

<snipped the photos for less scrolling>

Those are mountain bikes. Nothing wrong with that and mad props to anyone who is willing to shred enough gnar to warrant tires like that. But most "gravel" roads can be easily and comfortably traversed on 28-32mm tires. Lugging something like that around for a mixed terrain ride sounds exhausting.

Then again, my favorite gravel bike was a Spooky Skeletor HavocStaff with GravelKing 28s, so what do I know.

[donalrey]

Make 26" tires great again!

[donevwil]

Wait till you see my Rock Lobster... :D

I'd say dibs, but recently jumped in a builder's queue myself :beer:.

[David Tollefson]

But most "gravel" roads can be easily and comfortably traversed on 28-32mm tires.

"Most" where you live. Not necessarily elsewhere.

[jtbadge]

"Most" where you live. Not necessarily elsewhere.

100% this. Someone makes the "28s or 32s for everything" any time the "g" word is mentioned on this forum. And it's just not true.

The gravel in two of the three places I lived is a total drag to ride on skinnies like that. Chunky Flint Hills gravel in Kansas averages the size of a fist. And fire roads in the mountains in LA are always washed out or covered in sand. The more width, the better.

[Clean39T]

I'd say dibs, but recently jumped in a builder's queue myself [emoji481].Congrats!

Care to share more? Or I can be patient...

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[simonov]

"Most" where you live. Not necessarily elsewhere.

Definitely where I live. And about 12 of the other places I've ridden gravel, including southern California, New England, North Carolina, Colorado, Arizona and others. I'm sure there are places where gravel roads are gnarly, but then I'd rather be on a mountain bike. For most actual roads, giant tires are a drag.

[Kirk007]

I like this one. Good with 700 x 32 or 650b x 2.1. Not a mountain bike (although I agree big wide tires on the road are a drag).https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190417/f6f19fb371f228497f713e7e9e44974c.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190417/43c01db9ec866c0d9d8c09bd09a74112.jpg

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[dmurphey]

Ability to fit up to 650 x 50 tires, best is steel frame and fork like Jeff Lyons with rim brakes, Paul center pulls post mounted of course, or alternatively an alloy or composite compliant frame with a Lefty suspension fork w disc brakes a la Cannondale Slate. My dos pesetas. I don't need carbon frame and fork for rough stuff, no fun, poor feel. I like disc brakes sometimes but the side effect is a stiff ass fork, not great.

[David Tollefson]

Definitely where I live. And about 12 of the other places I've ridden gravel, including southern California, New England, North Carolina, Colorado, Arizona and others. I'm sure there are places where gravel roads are gnarly, but then I'd rather be on a mountain bike. For most actual roads, giant tires are a drag.

Hey, yeah, back in my racing days we had this ride that went up into the hills out of Granite Falls. We all rode our road bikes with 20mm slicks, and it was awesome. Smooth as glass Sandy dirt packed nice and firm, took it at speed. But pretty much anywhere else in Washington, 32's is barely the entry fee.